Means for producing dental amalgam.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ASHBY A. SHAW AND RALPH A. STEV N or'oAMBR DeE, MASSACHUSETTS.

MEANS Foe PRODUClNG D ENTAL AMALGAM,

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 715,216, dated December 2, 1902. Application filed April 22, $erial No. 66,809. No model.) I

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that we, ASHBY A. SHAW and RALPH A. STEVENS, citizens of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassach usetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Producing DentalAmalgam, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

mass of solid alloy to be conveniently mount,

- ed upon a spindle.

To this end our invention comprises two related elements-51. mold for enabling the mass of alloy to be cast upon a spindle and a spindle adapted to be applied to and removed from the mold.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical central section of our mold, showing the spindle supported therein. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the spindle and parts carried thereby, showing it as supported in bearings and having a driving-pulley mounted thereon, the pulley and bearings being shown in section,

, As shown in Fig. 3, the spindle is terminally supported in bearings and rotated by the pulley 16, mounted friction-tight thereon. Upon this spindle is rigidly secured the cylindrical body of alloy 15, from the periphery of which is turned the powder of shavings to be used in the formation of what is termed dental amalgam. To mount the body of alloy upon the spindle, we have devised the mold, which comprises the cylindrical shell or body 1, having a flat bottom 2 and a removable cover 6. Centrally through said bottom and cover are the openings 3 and 9, the opening through the cover fitting the main portion of the spindle, while the opening through the bottom is fitted to the reduced end 12 of the spindle. The bottom of the mold is raised a short distance by means of the flange at in order to keep the spindle-point 11' from resting upon the'support for, the mold. The cover 6 V is formed with a flange or-rim 7, fitting about the rabbeted edge of the mold-body, not only for the pnrpose'ot' keeping such cover in place, but mainly to retain the opening 9collcentric with the mold-body 1, and thus accuratelydeterinine the central position of the spindle in the cylinder of alloy. Through the cover is formed a tunnel-shaped passage 8 for permitting the melted metal to be poured into the mold. Through much of the spindles length is cut a groove or spline 14, designed to receive the melted alloy, and thereby hold the latter when solidified securely in place on the spindle. At the end of the spindle opposite to the reduced end 12 is a tapered section 13, designed to enter a correspondingly-ta pered hole in the pulley 16. By means of this taper the pulley can be readily applied to and removed from the spindle, and yet when applied to the spindle grip the same with suflicient tightness to enable the pulley to turn the spindle, and hence the solid alloy mounted thereon. The object in thus having the pulley removable isas follows: Although the spindle can be readilyintroduced through the openingin the cover down into the mold, even when the pulley is in place thereon, yet the presence of the pulley prevents the convenient entrance of the melted metal through the passage or mouth 8. Moreover, after the metal has been poured Within the mold and has hardened about the spindle the cover 6 cannot be removed untilafter the pulley has been itself removed. For these reasons, therefore, we have the pulley removable in the first instance.

By means of our arrangement of spindle and pulley and our construct-ion of mold we are enabled to quickly, conveniently, and accurately cast a mass of solid alloy upon the spindle and apply the latter to the lathe, by which the metal is converted into powder and shavings with the least possible trouble and loss of time.

What we claim as our invention, and for which we desire Letters Patent, is as follows, to wit:

In a means for applying cylinders of metal to spindles of the character described, the combination with the cylindrical mold consisting of the-integral sides and bottom, of the In testimony that we claim the foregoing 10 cover fitted to the open top thereof and havinvention we have hereunto set our hands ing the central opening constructed to loosely this 17th day of April, 1901.

receive said spindle, and the pouring-hole;

5 said mold-bottom having the central hole less E in diameter than the central opening in said cover, and the under side of said bottom be- Witnesses:

, ing formed with the supporting-flange, sub- MARY U. UPHAM,

stantially as described. A. B. UPHAM. 

